Why not two-stroke cars?

In the '50s there was a driver killed at Le Mans in a Jaguar D-Type by selecting 1st instead of 3rd at about 100 mph. D-Types had rather better synchromesh than the current production Jaguars.

I presume everyone caught the jpegs of a Toyota Celica in the states that someone jammed it into 1st at 80.

The contents of the sump looked like metallic gravel and sand!

The original thread is now dead, but if people are interested, I can upload the photos.

Pete.

That is one huge engine, seeing the bloke standing on the block looks like a scene from The Land of Giants.

Fantastic link. Wasn't there a series on telly about "Big Stuff" ? Should've had one of these engines on it.

Such an engine only makes sense for boats with little need for rapid acceleration or ancillary heat/power, though. I think somewhat higher overall efficiencies can be got from gas turbines with combined cycle technologies.

Ouch!

I was referring to four stroke, four cylinder bikes in my original comment. 14-15,500 (reliable) RPM depending on model, and 65-80 mph in

1st gear!

Even my ZZR which is an early 90's design 600 "sports tourer" revs to

14k and nudges 70 in 1st! Feels gooooood.. ;)

Dan

I can't find the original message on the celica.net message board, it looks like it has expired.

Here are the original photos though.

Pete.

In message , Pete Smith writes

WTF is the guy holding in his hand in :-

The only thing in that part of the engine that contains that much metal, given the crank is in one piece, are piston crowns, or possibly conrods.

However, there are 2 conrods left in one photo, so IMO, they're what's left of the pistons.

Pete.